Before visiting Atlas9, I was really not sure what I was getting myself into — and honestly, that was part of the fun. I convinced my husband to go with me and our three kids (ages 8, 6 and 2) on a free afternoon for an invited press visit, and when he asked what exactly we were doing, I, frankly, didn’t really know. Because Atlas9 is such a unique experience, I will say it’s still hard to describe it, but it’s like an immersive escape room mixed with an art experience time warp. It’s like The Rabbit hOle meets Meow Wolf meets escape room — in the best possible way.
Atlas9, located in the Legends area of Kansas City, Kansas, describes itself as a “46,000-square-foot “containment” building [that surrounds] a transformed 1990s movie theater that shifts into a “living” cinematic universe.” The immersive space was created by KC-based Dimensional Innovations, partnering with Swell Spark for Operations and Quixotic for Live Performance. Upon entering, you are essentially stepping foot into a different world, where a 90s-era movie theater (not an actual one — Dimensional Innovations built it from the ground up) has undergone something mysterious and all of the movies inside are coming to life.
Once you enter, you’re given a debrief by a FACADE agent, the fictional secret government institution behind the goings-on at Atlas9 (FACADE stands for Field Agency for the Control of Aberrations and Divergent Energies). Each visitor is given an RFID bracelet, which you can scan throughout the theater. It gamifies the experience a bit, as you build levels within the FACADE agency and track what you have and haven’t done through each scan. You can even interact with the space, as AI-generated images of visitors, created entirely on a local network that Atlas9 manages, are dynamically presented in digital movie posters and interactive exhibits throughout the experience (usually, I think AI-generated imagery is really gimmicky, but the application here works well).
We loved exploring the different rooms in Atlas9, from the fictional staff break room and office to the fascinating 1920s-era jazz club complete with a live performance. Our kids loved opening up doors and drawers to find surprises behind them or discovering secret tunnels to crawl through.
I was especially appreciative of the level of detail throughout Atlas9, and the employed actors, artists and dancers throughout the space. Every employee in the space is a part of the experience, and collective Quixotic also performs once an hour — one performance in the movie theater (where Atlas9 also does theatrical movie showings) and one in the jazz club.
You also don’t have to let hunger impede your time in Atlas9, either — there’s a movie theater concession stand, of course (with the best period-accurate 90s movie theater carpet), as well as a hidden speakeasy bar, The SpeakerEasy. There’s also a full restaurant on site, Splice Bros. Pizza & Pub, which you can visit without admission.
The best part about Atlas9 is that you can be as involved as you want (or are able) in the FACADE quest. With three kids to chase, we definitely didn’t solve the Atlas9 mystery as thoroughly as we would’ve liked, but it absolutely didn’t take away from the enjoyment of the experience, as we loved interacting with the space, exploring and marveling at the impressive spaces. Plus, it really was the rare instance of being fun for every member of our family — as much as I love children’s museums, it’s not something I would pick for my own entertainment, but Atlas9 was equally enjoyable for the adults as well as the kids (and I think teens would love it even more).
If you’re not sure what to expect from Atlas9 — well, that’s part of the fun. I won’t spoil it too much before you go, but know it’s worth a visit!
Atlas9
1100 N 98th St, Kansas City, Kansas
Instagram: @atlas9.kc
It's like an immersive escape room mixed with an art experience time warp. It's like The Rabbit hOle meets Meow Wolf meets escape room — in the best possible way.